This invention relates to an improved connector for fluid lines and the like.
With the advent of the stimulation of hydrocarbon bearing formation of the earth to improve the production of offshore oil and gas wells and the necessity of controlling blown-out offshore oil and gas wells, it has become increasingly desirable to quickly connect and disconnect, preferably from a remote location, fluid flow lines running from a marine vessel to an offshore exploration or production platform.
In the past, a common method of connecting and disconnecting fluid flow lines running from a marine vessel to an offshore exploration or production platform involved the use of clamps having threaded connectors thereon to secure the ends of the fluid flow lines together. However, the use of clamps having threaded connectors thereon to secure the ends of fluid flow lines together requires the manual assembly of the clamp about the ends of the fluid flow lines and the manual assembly of the threaded connectors about the clamp. One such clamp is available from the Gray Tool Company, Houston, Texas, and is identified by the Gray Tool Company under the trademark identification as a GRAYLOC clamp.
It is further known to use a surface controlled hydraulic connector in sub-sea operations for the remote connection of flow lines. One such connector has been available also from the Gray Tool Company and is known under the trademark identification of the Gray Tool Company as a HYDRALOC connector. However, such a connector is complex in structure, can be difficult to manufacture and, in many instances, cumbersome to use.